Human trafficking is world’s third largest criminal activity

Wellington, 1 February 2010. – UNICEF is again warning that post-quake Haiti is providing ideal conditions for child traffickers to operate.

UNICEF NZ Executive Director, Dennis McKinlay, says relief agencies estimate that as many as 1.5 million children have been affected by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake.

“In the chaos following the quake, children are particularly at risk from child traffickers. Many children will have lost or been separated from family members and present easy targets for traffickers who are known to fish in pools of vulnerability.

“Child traffickers will not hesitate to pick up unaccompanied children and whisk them out of the country.”

Mr McKinlay says that children may be trafficked for a variety of unsavoury purposes including sexual exploitation and child labour.

“Trafficked children may be sold as child brides, or used as prostitutes. They may end up in factories as extremely cheap labour, or become household servants. Others could be intentionally maimed and forced to beg on the streets for the benefit of their handlers.

“It is essential that children in Haiti and elsewhere be protected from unscrupulous individuals and groups. The reality is that human trafficking is a huge global problem. It is the third largest criminal activity in the world after armaments and drugs.”

Mr McKinlay says that UNICEF has heard reports of child traffickers at work in Haiti, which have been reported to the Haitian Government for action.

In one case a child protection team assessing the needs of children in orphanages came across three Western women who were picking up a child under two years of age. The women were leaving the child’s 10-year-old sister behind. The child protection team stopped the incident, which is now in the hands of authorities.

“The focus right now is on protecting children in Haiti and making every effort to reunite them with their families. UNICEF and its partners are working together to set up ‘safe spaces’ for all unaccompanied children. We are also supporting the Haitian Government to increase border vigilance to combat child trafficking.

As part of child protection efforts, UNICEF and partners have assessed the essential needs of thousands of children at more than 100 orphanages in Haiti, and is co-ordinating the supply of essential health and nutrition materials for children.

UNICEF is combating the threat of water-borne diseases through the provision of safe drinking water to around 400,000 people each day. UNICEF is also supporting an emergency immunization campaign to protect 600,000 young children from the spread of killer diseases like measles, tetanus and diphtheria. Some 50,000 children will benefit from child clothing kits due to arrive in Haiti in the next few days.

People can donate to UNICEF NZ's Haiti Emergency Appeal on 0800-800-194 or online at www.unicef.org.nz